by Dragonlady76 28 Replies latest jw friends
defd,
In FS I used to say stuff back to people just to tow the party line, but in my heart I knew they were right. Finally I was able to admit it to myself.
You must be experiencing a great internal conflict when you're talking to people who hold beliefs opposite to your own, while being shunned by the people who do share your beliefs.
To be fair, the JW's are not the only religious group who advocate the headship structure. As an evangelical Christian I struggled with Paul's admonitions in the context of single parenting and abusive partners. As I progressed in my working life, the discrepancy in the way women are treated made me a Christian feminist of sorts.
How do we put women's rights in context of Paul's teachings?
Here's a few tenets in JGnat's gospel.
Have to put my 2 cents in for all those out there trying to follow the Bible's laws. If and when men start 'loving their wives as themselves' maybe then the divorce rate will go down!!! Why is it not ok to get an unscriptural divorce, but it's ok for men to mistreat their wives?
One thing I noticed in that WT, it says that it is okay for the wife to leave if the husband is "SO violent that her health and life are in danger." What if he is "just a little" violent? What if he just makes red-marks, bruises, goose-eggs and scratches, but never really inflicts life-threatening harm? Does that mean she must stay?
(Yeah, I already know the WTS answer to this, it just pisses me off.) And all due respect to JGnat, most people are not going to read Paul's words in context to the times. The fact remains that, even though Paul may have been more enlightened than some of his compatriots, (and I'm not sure I agree with that assessment,) he still regarded women as significantly less than men. Christian religions all over the world hold up his words as reason to give women less respect and less opportunities than men, and this is regarded as perfectly okay because it is Biblical.
Of course we could say that this shows how Christians must be MORE enlightened than the general populace--just as Paul was. But I would say this is a wishful argument and the real effect of his writings are the ideal excuse to continue dominating and restricting women. Religions that do give women equal status have bent to the winds of political correctness, not found an alternative interpretation to Paul's misogyny. Despite the best efforts of a select few Christians, Christianity remains a paternalistic institution, and that is displaying it in the best possible light.
I wonder what would happen then if I hit the man?
DL76
You won't find "forgive and forget" in the bible. If someone abuses you and then seeks forgiveness, you may give it. That does not mean, though, that you must forget. That person has lost your trust. You do not have to put yourself in harm's way just "because the bible says so".
That is exactly what I tried to explain to an elder perp who was threatening his adult daughter with DFing if she failed to have a normal relationship with him after he raped her. He said it would be evidence she didn't forgive, which is a sin, and evidence she is not respecting his leadership as an elder.
That is exactly what I tried to explain to an elder perp who was threatening his adult daughter with DFing if she failed to have a normal relationship with him after he raped her. He said it would be evidence she didn't forgive, which is a sin, and evidence she is not respecting his leadership as an elder.
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Disgusting is all I can say.
DL76
That is exactly what I tried to explain to ;an elder perp who was threatening his adult daughter with DFing if she failed to have a normal relationship with him after he raped her. ; He said it would be evidence she didn't forgive, which is a sin, and evidence she is not respecting his leadership as an elder.
................
Disgusting is all I can say.
Dragonlady. You have ever right to be disgusted. Only be disgusted at the PERSON commiting that nasty act, not Jehovah. He does not approve of that tpye of conduct. And if what that person wrote about is true Jesus will pay him back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
defd,
I don't think anyone here blames Jehovah for the actions of rapists and those who protect/enable them. Most people realize those people have absolutely nothing to do with an all-good loving god.
But why isn't Jesus paying them back now? I know, you are going to say the bible says so. But honestly, if god is all-knowing and all-good, why let such atrocities continue? Why not stop it now? The bible has no reasonable answer for that.
"100% of the blame for rape falls squarely in the lap of the perp."--an original quote I used to be famous for saying to my patients
But why isn't Jesus paying them back now? ; I know, you are going to say the bible says so. ; But honestly, if god is all-knowing and all-good, why let such atrocities continue? ; Why not stop it now? ; The bible has no reasonable answer for that.
Rebel
I understand your frustration all to well. You asked why does not Jesus pay them back now? In many ways he is. The main way a person like that would get paid now for his actions is the old reap what you sow princible. What comes around goes around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But honestly, if god is all-knowing and all-good, why let such atrocities continue?
Rebel
With out going into long detail Most people are taught differently on this but God is not ALL KNOWING. Let me rephrase that, There are things that God does not know about unless He invetigates it or because He chooses not to know. Jehovah Will do something about all the atrocities we see in the world today. He promises a PERMENANT end and fix to all wickedness. A world free from rapist, liers, murderers, mean people and so-on. In the mean time we must ENDURE. He gives us help to endure also. He has not left us alone. Hang in there.
